Double-bottom,one-piece beverage case

ABSTRACT

A wrap-around or end-loading style container, adapted to be formed in a typical rectangular, tubular configuration, but with a double thickness cushion bottom, a blank for making same, and a method for folding the blank into the container as disclosed. The design of this invention is unique in that a double thickness bottom with cushioning characteristics is obtained using a blank no larger than a standard blank, thereby giving minimal additional costs. To a typical rectangular container blank with four adjacent top, bottom, and side panels are added end closure flaps at each opposite end of the respective panels. The side panel closure flaps are inwardly folded after the four panels are rectangularly arranged and attached by way of a manufacturer&#39;&#39;s flap or joint. The top closure flap is glued and folded inwardly and down against these side panel flaps. The bottom panel closure flap is formed with two sections, each foldable along the line connecting the flap to the bottom panel. One of these sections, resembling a manufacturer&#39;&#39;s tab, is glued and folded inwardly to contact the first-folded side panel flaps, while the second section is glued and reversibly folded to contact the bottom of said container, thereby giving, in conjunction with the similarly folded flap at the opposite end of said bottom panel, a double thickness over a substantial portion of the surface of the bottom of the container for cushioning properties.

Primary ExaminerWilliam l. Price Assistant Examiner-Bruce H. BernsteinAttorney, Agent, or Firm-A. J. Steger United States Patent [1913,825,170

Aust et al. July 23, 1974 DOUBLE-BOTTOM, ONE-PIECE [57] ABSTRACTBEVERAGE CASE A wrap-around or end-loading style container, [75]lnvemolsi John Toledo; Charlies adapted to be formed in a typicalrectangular, tubular Gray, Sylvama, both of Ohlo configuration, but witha double thickness cushion [73] Assignee: ()wens-lllinols, lnc., Toledo,Ohio P a blank f making Same and a method for folding the blank into thecontainer as disclosed. The Filed: p 18,1973 design of this invention isunique in that a double [2|] APPL 352,116 thickness bottom withcushioning characteristics is obtained using a blank no larger than astandard blank, 1 thereby giving minimal additional costs. To a typical[52] 229/37 E, 229/16 229/38 rectangular container blank with fouradjacent top, 229/41 B, 229/52 229/23 A bottom, and side panels areadded end closure flaps at a each opposite end of the respective panelsThe side [58] Fleld Search 229/37 52 49, panel closure flaps areinwardly folded after the four 229/44, 16 23 R, 37 1 B panels arerectangularly arranged and attached by way of a manufacturers flap orjoint. The top closure flap [56] References Clted is glued and foldedinwardly and down against these UNITED STATES PATENTS side panel flaps.The bottom panel closure flap is 2,094,054 9/1937 Bixby 229 33 formedwith two Sections, each foldable along the line 2,122,654 7/1938Nickerson 229/33 connecting the flap to the bottom panel. One of these2,196,502 4/1940 .Kells 229/52 B sections, resembling a manufacturerstab, is glued and ,19 55 B asch 229/37 R folded inwardly to contact thefirst-folded side panel 3,119,544 /1 p a1. 229/14 flaps, while thesecond section is glued and reversibly v Brackett R f ld d t t th b tt fid t i 2:225:32 21133; Z.;F2f:::::::...............::::::::: 35/ 1 335achieving,inconiunctionwiththesimilaflyfolded flap at the opposite endof said bottom panel, a double thickness over a substantial portion ofthe surface of the bottom of the container for cushioning properties.

2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PMENIEQJUL23|914 SHEET 20F 3 FIG. 3

FIG. 5

MENIEDJULZBIQH 3325.170 saw anr-s DOUBLE-BOTTOM, ONE-PIECE BEVERAGE CASEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION bottom panel formed in two foldablesections, the first section resembling a foldable tab which is inwardlyfolded to constitute a portion of the end closure, and the seccondsection reversibly folded to be attached to the bottom of the containerwhich, with the corresponding section from the flap at the opposite endof the panel, form a double thickness over a substantial portion of thebottom of the container.

2. Description of the Prior Art OF THE PRIOR ART Modern automatic glasscontainer handling equipment and carton handling techniques haveresulted in a need for cartonshaving cushioning properties to resistbreakage during handling and in transit. Initially, spaced inserts andpartitions were used to prevent contact between the containers,arranging the containers into columns and rows. In time the concept ofbulk packaging evolved wherein it was found that if suffi- SUMMARY OFTHE. INVENTION A rectangularly arranged tubular container made fromcorrugated paperboard or the like is provided by this invention, whereintwo side panel closure flaps are folded inwardly to cover an open end ofsaid tubular container, an outer top closure flap is folded down andglued to said side'panel closure flaps, a fourth outer flap hingedlyattached to the panel designated as the bottom panel is formed with twosections, the first said section being a foldable tab inwardly foldedand glued to said side panel closure flaps, thereby giving the endclosure structure, and the remaining section being reversibly folded andglued to the bottom panel of said container, thereby giving a doublethickness over a portion of the area of the bottom of the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a corrugatedpaperboard blank adapted to be foldable into the container disclosed inthis invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the blank of FIG. 1 partly folded intorectangular, tubular configuration.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the blank in FIG. 2 folded in tubularconfiguration, with one end closure only partly folded.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the container in FIG. 3, with the endclosure folded, and before final folding of the double bottom.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the container completely folded, showingthe double thickness bottom.

FIG. 6 is a perspective schematic view of an apparatus suitable forautomatically folding a portion of the end closure of the container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFRRED EMBODIMENT As can be seen generallyin the drawings, a container and blank are disclosed including a toppanel 10, two

sidewall panels 11 and 12, and a bottom panel 13 connected alongparallel fold lines 14. A m'anufacturers glue flap 15 is attached to toppanel 10 along fold line 16 and when attached to panel 12 holds thepanels 10,

11, 12 and 13 in a tubular configuration. Each panel has flaps extendingfrom the ends thereof defined by two parallel fold lines 17 arrangedperpendicularly to fold lines 14 and 16. Top end closure flaps 18 and 19extend from either end of top panel 10, connected along fold lines 17.Each flap 18 and 19 has an oval line-cut hand hole 20 formed thereinspaced a distance from fold line 17. Side end closure flaps 21 and 22extend from either end of side panel 1 1, connected along fold line 17.Each flap 21 and 22 has formed therein a slot or cut out portion 23equivalent to one-half of the hand hole 20 as cut in flaps l8 and 19.Each of the slots -23 has as its center line (shown as dashed line 24) aline spaced from the edge of panel 10 adjacent panel 11 a distance equalto that spacing of the center line of oval line-cut hand hole 20 fromthe fold line 17. Such spacing-allows for overlapping alignment of thehand hole 20 and the slot 23 when in the final folded position.

Side end closure flaps 25 and 26 extend from either I end of side panel12 and have formed therein a cutout or slot 27 similar to slot 23,centered along dashed line 28, spaced from the outer edge of panel 12 adistance equal to the spacing of the oval hand holes 20 from fold line17 in flaps 18 and 19. The fractional cut hand holes 23 and 27 meet inend-abutting relation when the end closure is folded and, when the topend closure flap 18 or 19 is folded into position, the overlappingalignment gives a complete hand hole extending through the closure.

Bottom panel 13 has extending therefrom closure flaps 29 and 30. Eachflap 29 and 30 has cut therein a smaller secondary glue tab 31 and 32,respectively. After the side end closure flaps and top closure flaps arein position, the glue tabs 31 and 32 are glued into place over the sideend closure flaps 21 and 25, or 22 and 26. Tabs 31 and 32 hold the lowerportion of the side end closure flaps in position and give asatisfactory end closure.

The closure flaps 29 and 30 are reversibly folded and glued to thebottom panel 13 to provide the necessary cushion. The shape of tabs 31and 32 and the relative percentage of area used for the tabs can bevaried depending on the weight of the contents of the container and thetype of material used in fabricating the container, as well as thenature of the forces to be exerted on the end closure restrained in partby tabs 31 and 32.

In FIG. 6 a portion of an automatic folding apparatus I is shown to beused in conjunction with other autocated on the opposite side of theconveyor for folding the other end of the container.

A typical conveyor 33 is shown moving the partly folded containers inthe direction as shown. At this stage, the containers are already loadedwith glass bottles or whatever and are being sealed for shipment.

The container approaches the apparatus as shown in A, with the sideclosure flaps in place and the top closure flap (shown as 18) glued andin position. The line cut has been made in bottom closure flap 30 toform tab 32, but the two separately foldable portions of that flap 30have not been broken apart. Glue has been applied to the inside surfaceof the tab 32 only, and the entire flap and tab 30 and 32 have beenfolded up into contact with the side closure flaps 22 and 26.

A vacuum head 34 is brought into contact with bottom closure flap 30 tobreak it loose from tab 32 which remains in position as part of theclosure, the flap 30 not being adhesively attached. The vacuum head 34pulls the flap 30 out a distance sufficient to allow engagement with afixed guide rail 35, commonly referred to in the art as a fixed plow.The vacuum head 34 is disengaged from flap 30 as soon as engagement withguide rail 35 is accomplished. The movement of the container (as in B)past the guide rail 35 results in deflection and folding of the flap 30according to the design of the guide rail 35. Adhesive is applied to theouter surface of flap 30 by a brush 36 or similar apparatus, and isusually done while the flap 30 is in contact with the guide rail 35 toprevent deflection of the flap 30 by the brush 36.

The guide rail 35 is arranged in a downward section of a helix or spiralto deflect and fold the flap 30 through nearly 270 of arc into contactwith the surface of the bottom of the container as can be seen atpositions C and D. A roller 37, seen at position E, presses the flap 30against the container to ensure adhesive contact after the flap 30disengages from guide rail 35. This roller 37 may be heated to help setthe glue.

We claim:

1. A container having a double-thickness area over a portion of itsbottom panel and adapted to be formed from corrugated paperboard orsimilar foldable material, said container having top, bottom and opposedside panels arranged into a rectangular tubular configuration, andclosure flaps hinged to the opposite edges of each of said top, bottom,and opposed side panels, said end closure flaps adapted to form endclosures for said tubular configuration, and said end closure flapsattached to the opposite ends of said bottom panel including areversibly foldable portion adapted to be reversibly folded into contactwith said double thickness area over a portion of the panel of saidcontainer and a glue tab portion foldable into contact with the endclosure flaps connected to reinforce the side walls.

2. A container having a double-thickness area over a portion of itsbottom panel as set forth in claim 1 wherein the reversibly foldableportion of the end closure flap attached to the opposite ends of saidbottom panel comprises the major portion of the area of said end closureflap attached to the ends of said bottom panel.

1. A container having a double-thickness area over a portion of itsbottom panel and adapted to be formed from corrugated paperboard orsimilar foldable material, said container having top, bottom and opposedside panels arranged into a rectangular tubular configuration, andclosure flaps hinged to the opposite edges of each of said top, bottom,and opposed side panels, said end closure flaps adapted to form endclosures for said tubular configuration, and said end closure flapsattached to the opposite ends of said bottom panel including areversibly foldable portion adapted to be reversibly folded into contactwith said double thickness area over a portion of the panel of saidcontainer and a glue tab portion foldable into contact with the endclosure flaps connected to reinforce the side walls.
 2. A containerhaving a double-thickness area over a portion of its bottom panel as setforth in claim 1 wherein the reversibly foldable portion of the endclosure flap attached to the opposite ends of said bottom panelcomprises the major portion of the area of said end closure flapattached to the ends of said bottom panel.